Folder and fastener therefor



Au 14,1923. I 1,464,766

L. W. KARLEN FOLDER AND FASTENER THEREFdH Filed March 21. 1922 y @22 fvwizzw" Y $422423 ffrfezw Patented l d, 1923.

.LOUIS W. KARLEN, OF DES .MOINES, ZOVTA.

FOLDER AND FASTENER Application fiIedIi'Zarch 21, 1922. Serial No. 545,603.

To aZZ whom it may concern: e C

Be it known that I, LOUIS W.'Knnnnn, a cltizen of the United States, and a resident of Des Moines, in the county of Folk and State of Iowa, have mvented a certa n new' and useful Folder and Fastener lherefor, of

which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a folder and fastener devicetherefor of simple, durable and comparatively inexpensive construction.

More particularly, my invention relatesto a type of folder especially adapted for containing a number of loose sheets or letters all relating to a certain transaction. For example, in connection with the insurance business, the references to the policy, letters to the agents and everything concerning the policy are all filed in a singleiile.

It is my intention to provide such a file, which is arranged with a sheet of comparatively tough material folded intermediate of its ends, so as to form a front and back, the tough sheet of paper being provided with a fastener, which is very simple, so that the letters and other sheets of paper containing data thereon may be secured thereto and properly held in the file. Still a further object is to provide a fastener device for a file arranged to have its main body portion secured to the paper on the outside thereof, and having tongues eX- tended through the paper and bent upon themselves for securely holding the fastener in proper position, the fastener being further provided with a pair of tongues extended through the paper and so arranged that it is formed integral with the main body portion of the fastener and is simple in construction and can be made by stamping.

' till a further object is to provide a fastener for alfolder including a pair of strap members arranged to be spaced from each other and arranged to have their ends extended through the paper and clinched for holding the straps to the paper, whereby a pair of tongues may be located therebetween and secured thereto and arranged to extend through the paper, whereby they may be manipulated for securely fastening loose sheets of paper within the file.

lVith these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set fort-l, pointed out in my claim,

illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of my improved folder and fastener device therefor, parts being shown in section to better illu trate the construction.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the front and back of the folder, showing the inner end of one of the papers tiled in the folder.

Figure 3 is a perspective View of the fastener d vice; and

Figure 4t is a plan view showing the fa:- tener device secured to the back side of the folder.

in the accompanying drawings, I have used the reference character A to indicate generally a sheet than width, which is folded intermediate of its ends, as at 10, so as to provide a front sheet 11 and a back sheet 12.

In this connection, it may be mentioned that especially in insurance work, all of the papers and records relating to a certain policy are all filed in a single file. l have employed my folder and fastener device for insurance work, and find that it is very eflicient and 'far more advantageou than some of the present filing devices.

My improved fastener for the folder preferably made by dies and is formed of very thin sheet metal. The fastener includes a pair of strap portions 13 and i l spaced from each other. Each of the ends of the strap portions 13 and are bent at right to themselves, so as to form the ton ues 15, which are bevelled or inclined at Received between the strap portions 13 and 14 ant formed integral therewith are the tongues or straps l7 and 18. The tongues 17 and 18 are connected together at their portion which is secured to the straps 13 and 1 so to make a substantially U-shaped member, when the parts are in the position shown in F igure 3 of the drawings.

In the front 12 of the folder, I provide a central opening 19 through which is extended the tongues 17 and 18. The tongues 15 are extended through slits formed. in the front sheet 11 and are then clinched or bent upon themselves for securely holding the fastener devices to the folder. The

of paper of greater length side of the folder. By making the entire fastener device of a single piece of metal, I am able to use a much thinner metal and yet have the parts of suflicient strength, so

that the tongues 17 and 18 may be folded over a. great many times without breaking. The arranging of the tongues 17 and 18 between the straps 13*and 14c permit me to 'make the entire fastener of a single piece of metal by stamping the same from sheet metal.

In Figure 2 of the drawings, I have "shown the end of aletter or sheet of paper 20, which is provided with a central open ing 21, so that the tongues 17 and 18 naybeextended therethrough and bent over vf or securely holding the letters or sheets 20 in position.

It will be seen that when the front 11and the letters secured thereon are bent over, so that the folder isvfolded and the front sheet ll rests upon the back sheet 12, all of the letters 01' sheets received between the front and back of the folder andfsecured to my fastening device willlie flat. and be held p in' proper position.

They securing of the fastening device to the front sheet 11 requires the letters to be;

filed with the written matter face down ward or against the inner side of the front sheet 11. The additional letters fromtime to time are filed upon the previous letters,

so that the first letter placed inthe file or record is near the front side of the folder, and-it is not necessary to remove any of the previousletters in order to file any additional letters.

In Figure 1 of the drawings, I haave shown the fastener device as secured to the back 12 of the folder. In that case, the letter is filed with the back thereofagainst the inner side of the back 12 and face-up ward. Each additional letter is placed directly on top of the previous letter, filed, so that the lastletter is always on top face upwards, while in Figure 2, the last letter,

when the file is opened, would always be von top face. downward.

It will be seen that I have provided a folder and fastener device therefor of very, simple construction and so arranged that the ing the great number of folders close together, with- V out any possible chance of any of the fastening devices becoming hooked or engagother or adjacent folders,

It will be seen that'there' are no sharp edges or ends left on the exterior of the fold'enwhich might scratch or engage the next adjacent folder.

Some changes may be made in the construction and. arrangement of the various parts of my device without departing from the essential features and purposes of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claim, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents, which may, be reasonably included within its scope. 1

I claim as my inventioni A folder and'fastener therefor including a sheet of paper of greater length than width folded midway between its ends for forming a front and back; member, a fastener device of a single piece of m'aterial, said fastener device including a pair of spaced strap portions having "their ends bent atright angles, said'ends being tapered and extended through the paper near the fold therein and bent upon said strap members for'engaging the paper therebetween, said ends being received on theinner side of the folder, whereby no ends or edges will belefton the exterior of the folder, a pair of tonguesformed from the single piece of material and arranged to be received between said strap portionsmidway between their ends, and a connecting web formed from the piece of material for connecting,

the strap portions in spaced relation and for holding the tongues in position, said pa r of tongues having thelr ends tapered and being extended through'the paper in s the same directionas the ends of the said strap members, so that fiat sheets may be secured thereon and by folding the tongues in opposite directions the sheets will be permanently held in positionbetween the front and back members of the folder.

7 LOUIS W. KARLEN; 

